IanFantom
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Location: Halifax, West Yorkshire
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 Posted: Thu Jun 25, 2009 2:19 pm Post subject: GCHQ to be transformed into 'a spy school for geeks' |
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The government has briefed the press before making an announcement in Parliament of its intention to transform GHCQ into "a spy school for geeks", in order to combat state-sponsored cyberterrorism. Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Tom Brake MP stated: "This new cyber security strategy could lead to an extension of the Government's invasive counter-terrorism powers which already pose significant threats to our civil liberties.
BBC News (Thursday, 25 June 2009 14:23 UK) reports - with video of announcement by Gordon Brown:
| Quote: |
UK faces 'state-backed' hackers
Vital UK computer systems are under attack by "state-sponsored hacking on an industrial scale", the ex-digital engagement minister has warned.
Tom Watson told MPs the only way to combat the threat was to set up a "spy school for geeks who are more cunning than their Chinese counterparts".
The Labour MP ran Downing Street's web strategy until two weeks ago.
He spoke as ministers unveiled a cyber security strategy to prevent attacks from hostile states and terrorists.
Launching the strategy Lord West, who has been appointed as the UK's first cyber security minister, confirmed that the UK government has faced cyber attacks from foreign states such as Russia and China.
He said the government had recruited a team of former hackers for its new Cyber Security Operations Centre, based at the government's secret listening post GCHQ, in Cheltenham, to help if fight back.
Future targets
They had not employed any "ultra, ultra criminals" but needed the expertise of former "naughty boys," he added.
"You need youngsters who are deep into this stuff... If they have been slightly naughty boys, very often they really enjoy stopping other naughty boys," he said.
He also confirmed that the government had developed the capability to strike back at cyber attacks, although he declined to say whether it had ever been used.
This government has a rather illiberal and invasive overarching counter terrorism strategy
Tom Brake, Lib Dem home affairs spokesman
Cyber-security strategy launched
"It would be silly to say that we don't have any capability to do offensive work from Cheltenham, and I don't think I should say any more than that."
The biggest threat was from "state actors," said Lord West, who confirmed that UK systems had been targeted by Russia and China.
But he said the threat from terrorists was also growing and he warned that future targets could include key businesses, the national power grid, financial markets and Whitehall departments.
He denied that hackers had successfully broken into government systems and stolen secret information.
'Missed opportunity'
Lord West joined Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Home Secretary Alan Johnson for a visit to Detical, a London consultancy dedicated to tackling the cyber threat.
Mr Brown said: "I think everybody knows the internet has expanded massively, information is flowing around the world, citizens are in danger of being victims of organised crime, there are potentially terrorist attacks on our community, so we are stepping up this strategic unit to look at cyber security."
But Dame Pauline Neville-Jones, for the Conservatives, said the strategy was a "missed opportunity".
"It is impossible to know how significant these announcements are because we do not know what funding will be made available to enhance our ability to tackle cyber threats. It is also not clear how these new cyber security structures fit into the existing national security machinery."
Her colleague in the Commons, Crispin Blunt, called it a "pale imitation" of an initiative launched by US President Barack Obama.
Ethics panel
Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Tom Brake said: "This new cyber security strategy could lead to an extension of the Government's invasive counter-terrorism powers which already pose significant threats to our civil liberties.
"The cyber security strategy uses broad, undefined terms that risk creating panic among the public and a demand for further government powers. We must not retreat into a Cold War mentality."
And he demanded reassurances from Home Office minister John Hanson that the new unit, which will start work in September and be paid for out of existing budgets, will not be used to spy on ordinary people's internet use.
Mr Hanson a special ethics panel would be set up to monitor the new unit and the government would be working with civil liberties groups, although he declined to say which ones.
"This is about defending civil liberties and ensuring that we protect the liberties of people to enjoy their lives free of crime and free of the terrorist threat," he told MPs.
Mr Brake and Mr Blunt also asked why news of the new unit appeared to have been leaked to the media - prompting Mr Hanson to admit that it had been issued two days early in error and some newspapers had broken an embargo.
Tom Watson, until earlier this month a Cabinet Office minister, said the opposition were missing the point: "There is state-sponsored hacking of key Uk information networks on an industrial scale and we have to transform GCHQ into a spy school for geeks who are more cunning than their Chinese counterparts." |
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/8118729.stm
The Belfast Telegraph puts Al Qaida as the first threat:
| Quote: | Government warns of cyber-warfare attacks by Al Qaida, China and Russia
Thursday, 25 June 2009
Al Qaida is intent on using the internet to launch a cyber-warfare campaign against the UK, ministers claimed today.
They say terrorist groups, which already use the internet for recruitment, propaganda and communication purposes, want to turn it into a 'dangerous weapon'.
Security Minister Lord West issued the warning as he published the Government's new Cyber Security Strategy aimed at heading off online threats.
As well as potential cyber-attacks from terrorists, the UK faces a real and growing threat from foreign governments such as China and Russia, and from organised criminal gangs, he said. ... |
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/government-warns -of-cyberwarfare-attacks-by-al-qaida-china-and-russia-14362701.html
More on the extraparliamentary announcement is given in Computing:
| Quote: | Controversy in Parliament over cyber security strategy
Minister ordered to House of Commons to respond to Tory questions
Written by Parliamentary reporter
Computing, 25 Jun 2009
...
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http://www.computing.co.uk/computing/news/2244837/controversy-parliame nt-cyber |
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